


Twilight

by TimmyJaybird



Series: 100 Themes Challenge [37]
Category: DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: M/M, Total Fluff, that's it it's just soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 19:43:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15956210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TimmyJaybird/pseuds/TimmyJaybird
Summary: Damian is stuck in for a night after a fight with his father, but Tim's smile and reasoning words make him realize that maybe Bruce is just dealing with the fact that his youngest is growing up.





	Twilight

**Author's Note:**

> The theme was "Twilight"
> 
> I had this sitting in my Google docs as a WIP, and just... decided to write some short little fluff. I'm out of practice with DC I know. Sorry folks.

Damian leaned his cheek against his arms, staring up at the melting of colors in the sky. He was settled up on the roof of the manor, knees pulled up towards his chest, surrounded by silence and the warm evening air.  _ Alone _ , just as he figured he should be.

 

He scuffed silently to himself. He  _ should _ be suiting up, should be getting ready to head into the city for a night of work done right. But a tiff with his father had left him sidelined for the countless time this month, had left him frustrated and listless.

 

He closed his eyes against the setting sun, enjoyed the darkness behind his eyelids. His father seemed so sure he could not work as a member of a  _ team _ , that he could not follow direction. And god, what had even brought on this argument this time? Damian didn’t know, didn’t pretend to know anything anymore. He pressed his face further into his arms, inhaling softly, listening as the window that led to the roof suddenly opened.

 

Someone crawling through, over to him, settling in  _ close _ . Something sweet smelling, perfume, and the only one that wore something  _ that _ sweet was Tim. Damian didn’t lift his head, waited the full minute it took before Tim said, simply, “Hey.”

 

Damian clicked his tongue, didn’t respond otherwise. Tim should be in the cave. Tim should be suiting up.  _ Tim _ should be going out because at least Bruce trusted him, in ways he didn’t seem to trust Damian suddenly.

 

“It’s a nice night,” Tim said, and Damian begrudgingly lifted his head, glanced over at him. He had his hair tied back into a little ponytail, lined eyes staring up at the sky that was growing dark now, that dusky twilight that used to make Damian feel so alive.

 

“Not,” Damian said, pouting like a child. Didn’t matter that he was eighteen, had been for months, some actions he couldn’t outgrow.

 

Tim glanced at him, a little smile playing at his lips. “You still look twelve when you pout,” he pointed out, and Damian huffed, turning his head away quickly. Tim’s smile brought color to his cheeks, left them burning. It was so  _ stupid _ that just a little smile could elicit such a reaction but-

 

Well, it was  _ pretty _ , simple as that.

 

“And before you say anything,” Tim continued, “I know you’re  _ not _ . Besides the fact that you shot up like a damn beanstalk, you don’t act like you did as a kid.” Damian waited for Tim to continue, but the other man lapsed into silence. Carefully, Damian straightened his head, glanced at Tim out of the corner of his eye.

 

He was just looking at the sky, enjoying the melting colors of twilight. The wind was picking up a little, tugging a few dark strands free of his ponytail. They bustled about, but he didn't seem to mind. He looked… content.

 

“How so?” Damian finally asked, thinking if he could focus on Tim speaking, he wouldn’t be so distracted by how etheral he seemed, in the dusk.

 

“That fight you and Bruce had,” Tim started, “you took it pretty well. We  _ all _ argue with Bruce. But you used to be spitfire and all acid. Now you’re… reasonable. Angry, but not ungrounded.” Tim turned, smiled, and reached out, rubbing his hand back over the top of Damian’s head, over the soft dark hair that grew longer there. “It’s nice to see.”

 

This time there was no chance to fight the color down on his cheeks. Damian swallowed thickly, and Tim’s fingers moved into his hair, his gaze softening. He leaned over, and wordlessly, his lips pressed to Damian’s exposed temple. The kiss was brief, but tender, affectionate. Tim was pulling away before Damian could react, standing up and brushing his leggings off.

 

“Enjoy a night in,” he advised, “watch the stars. And don’t think Bruce is really that mad at you… he’s realizing that you’re  _ really _ growing up. And he never likes to see that.”

 

Tim turned then, ducked and climbed back inside through the large window. Damian let him go silently, before turning back to the sky, rolling his words over in his head.

 

*

 

Damian waited in the Batcave for them. He monitored the chatter between channels silently. It was a quiet night, and while his eyelids felt heavy by the time he heard the cave opening and the Batmobile’s engine roaring in, he still felt mentally  _ aware _ .

 

He turned the chair he was in at the computers, watched as Tim and Bruce both climbed out. Tim was grinning, was saying something that had Bruce chuckling and shaking his head. He couldn’t decipher the words, but Damian didn’t really feel he needed to. Tim had a knock for making his father smile like that-

 

Smile like they were  _ normal _ , and this part of their lives simply didn’t exist.

 

The smile faded when Bruce caught sight of Damian. His face settled into a stoic look as he pulled his cowl back, heading for him. Tim followed his gaze and then trotted after him quickly.

 

“Father,” Damian offered, and Bruce paused near him, stared down. “I’m glad you’re both back.” Instead of antagonizing him, Damian smiled, sincerely, and simply turned back to the computers.

 

That was it. He’d thought about it, while they were gone. Stewed himself in Tim’s words. And the arguments with Bruce  _ had _ seemed different lately… and well, maybe it was difficult to watch your children grow up- especially in this light. Even if Damian had never felt like much of a child, there were still changes…

 

Damian knew Bruce was staring at his back for a moment. Finally, a hand reached down, gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Don’t stay up too late,” Bruce said, as if two AM was  _ early _ in the world, “I’ll want you bright eyed tomorrow night.”

 

His voice had been kind. And Damian smiled, knowing Bruce had threatened to sideline him for a week or more. To have him change his mind so quickly…

 

He was walking away before Damian could finish the thought. But that's alright. Damian smiled to himself, before Tim was sliding into view, hopping up on the counter by the computer. He’d tossed off his mask and pulled off his gloves, but otherwise was still in his full suit.

 

“Told you,” Tim said, reaching out and toeing at Damian’s chair, forcing it to spin a little. “You’re his  _ baby _ . You growing up is just really getting to him lately.”

 

Damian grimaced. “I’m not a  _ baby _ .”

 

“You’ve got a baby face!” Tim leaned forward, reaching for Damian’s cheeks and pinching them. “Just look at these cheeks!”

 

“ _ Dwwaake! _ ” Damian tried to yell. It came out so distorted that Tim started laughing. He pitched forward more, letting go of Damian’s face and dropping his arms onto his shoulders. Damian rolled his eyes, before he carefully reached up, fingers almost shaking as they traced gently over the top of Tim’s head, along his hair.

 

Like how Tim had touched him earlier.

 

“You’ve got such a nice laugh,” Damian said, softly, eyes going soft. Tim paused, lifted his head at that as the laughter died in his throat. Damian took ins his face for a moment, before his eyes dropped to Tim’s lips. He hesitated for a breath, before he leaned in, gently kissed the corner of them.

 

It was over as quickly as he had moved, but that was alright. Damian had been thinking about his smile and that subtle kiss to his temple… and he simply had wanted to mirror the affection, in his own way.

 

Tim stared at him, before his lips curled into that fetching smile again. “You know,” he said, “Bruce isn’t the only one who noticed you’ve grown up, kiddo.” He leaned up, kissed Damian’s forehead now. It was warm, soothing, and Damian wanted to close his eyes, lose himself in the subtle sweetness. “And he’s not the only one proud of you for it.”

 

Tim pulled away then. Damian watched him get up, head back out into the cave, to shed his suit ad shower, before climbing into bed for what little remained of the night. He watched him go, his belly warm and seeming full of some large mass of  _ fleeting somethings _ -

 

And was glad for the subtle moments in the twilight, in the dead of night, in the dawn, that he could have to  _ learn _ . And hoped that maybe there would be another night, where Tim would guide him again. Reason with him again.

 

And, just possibly, kiss him again.


End file.
